Meet Eleanor
Eleanor is my new roommate.
She refuses to pay rent but also doesn't take up much space so ... I guess that's okay. Plus, now at work I can use the phrase "I have a mouth to feed at home!". I'm not sure if it would be worse for people to realize that mouth belonged to a cat or a secret baby.
Moving on.
Eleanor and I have been together since Christmas Eve when she arrived in my arms wears a crimson ribbon and in a basket. I didn't think my parents watched a lot of romantic comedies but this is pretty much how I imagine it happens in a movie.
When Eleanor first arrived, she weighed a trim 6+ pounds and didn't know how to play with toys. She also didn't like treats. I like to think that this is because she is from the streets and didn't have time for such superfluous activities as following strings and feathers around. In fact her behavior was so weird the first week that Baby Sister thought she might be blind. But, according to her first vet visit... Eleanor is very intelligent and skinny.
In the 6 weeks or so that we've been together, Eleanor and I have learned a fair amount about each other.
Here is a list...
1. She hates wearing a collar. She considers it a toy. She will take it off within one minute (or 5 hours) of me putting it on her.
2. She is a quiet like a ninja. This is in part due to the fact that she won't wear a collar. She just appears out of nowhere and stares at me.
3. The first week she was in my apartment she learned how to climb inside my sofa. Yes, inside. I've since used velcro to try and seal that 7 year sofa right back up. We'll see how this goes.
4. She wants to eat anything that I'm eating. Irish Stew? Sure. English muffin? Absolutely. Buffalo chicken? Why not.
5. Within 5 minutes of being in my apartment, E had knocked the Christmas garland off the window, scattered ornaments, and knocked around my wine glasses. Needless to say, she learned her lesson.
6. E does not like suitcases. When I was packing to go to Ohio, she wouldn't come out from under the bed for 4 hours. Little does she know that when I'm gone, there won't be anyone telling her to not eat the Christmas lights.
7. She breathes like she has asthma or a snotty nose. The fact that this concerns me... concerns me. She is a cat.
8. After a few days I noticed that she liked to chew (not nibble) on my Apple cords. In an effort to prevent this from happening (and me from getting mad), my parents sent me cord protectors from Amazon. They are allegedly scented to dissuade pets from doing this again. E just bites right through them.
9. Just like a proper host, I last minute ordered some toys to keep my new friend busy. Eleanor loves her catnip carrot more than she loves food. And just like a dog, she likes you to toss it so she can bring it back. Except that she's a cat.
10. In an effort to document our progress as roommates, I took some videos of her that I pretty much just send to my parents. Apparently they love them ... so much so that they send them to their colleagues. Eleanor doesn't care about fame but she wouldn't be upset if the YouTube monetization meant she got another carrot.
11. I've had to talk to my Dad twice about referring to Eleanor as his "granddaughter". Initially he said he understood why I didn't like that, but today he pretty much said he didn't care. For the record, she's my roommate not a child.
12. One day I just needed some quiet time after I got home from work, so I put her in a sweater that my parents got her. This is how she reacted.
13. Just like most pet guardians, I wondered what she did at night while I slept. I had my suspicions but this is what actually happens when I sleep. She pretends to be a mountain climber, drinks my water, and watches the sunrise.
14. Eleanor might understand what the word "No" means. But she definitely knows what bedtime means ... TIME FOR FETCH WITH THE CARROT.
15. She hates cooking. I tend to spend more Sundays cooking (hi, Downton Dinners) and Eleanor appears to hate this ... she spends all day in my bedroom.
16. We share a common love of fleece.
17. Eleanor took her first cab and train ride this past week. We had to spend a few days in the burbs watching my brother. E didn't bat an eye at the commute. She did however seem devastated when I forgot to bring the carrot back with us.
18. Sometimes when she jumps, it sounds like someone is squeezing the air out of a balloon.
19. She could use a pedicure. Her claws are like needles .... and it's not at all like I'm getting acupuncture when she walks on me.
20. Just like me, she likes her personal space ... and won't sit on me ... only next to me.
21. Additionally, she is not scared by loud noises ... normally I guess. I know this because I've tested her with some sneezes (and burps).
There are other things as well of course. As a single female approaching that magic number 30, I was significantly reluctant to welcome a furry feline into my house. But, it looks like E and I are going to be together for awhile.
Welcome Eleanor.
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